


Demons In My Sleep

by Midnightdragon2



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-09-18 03:12:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16987041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midnightdragon2/pseuds/Midnightdragon2
Summary: Ezran had very few memories of his mom, She died before he could make any real memories with her.But every once in awhile, he would have a dream. Usually the dream surfaced when he was upset.He would fall asleep and the dream would play out. When he awoke, he felt a little better. Maybe because he finally got to see his mom in it.The dream resurfaced the night on the Cursed Caldera.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I participated in the tdp secret santa and this is what I have to show for it!

Ezran had very few memories of his mom.

No one blamed it for him, he didn’t blame himself for not having more, because he had been young when she died. But he only really knew mom by callum. 

Callum could go on for hours about her, things they did before she died, her constant jokes, even the way she scolded Callum for trying to trip a guard when he first arrived i the castle. Their dad had been a close second.

Ezran had a few memories, most only fuzzy and faint, but each had a safe, warm feel to them. Like he was protected, and like she wasn’t going to let him go. He remembered things like how she laughed when Ezran reached up and tugged on a loose strand of hair. 

She died before he could make any real memories with her.

But every once in awhile, he would have a dream. Usually the dream surfaced when he was upset.He would fall asleep and the dream would play out. When he awoke, he felt a little better. Maybe because he finally got to see his mom in it.

The dream resurfaced the night on the Cursed Caldera.

 

* * *

 

Lujanne had let them sleep in the tree for the night, Ava and Zym were curled up against one another, Ellis rested against Ava’s side. Callum was opposite them in the tree, sleeping on his notebook. He had tried to make sure Ezran was asleep, but fell asleep himself. Rayla slept by the mouth of the cave, Lujanne was gone. Ezran was the only one awake.

He looked around with a small frown, holding bait closer to him, despite the glow toads grumble. He was used to being alone, He had always been an outcast, but for some reason, being alone tonight felt terrible. 

He sighed and laid back, hugging bait. He drifted off almost immediately.

The dream always started with Ezran on his back, looking up at the night sky, to a full moon. He never knew why he started there, but he always did.

The grass he laid on was dark green because it was dark, but it looked alive. Very much alive. The moon overhead turned the night sky an electric blue and outshone the stars around it. Ezran could only stare.

A light behind him caught his attention. He sat up and turned towards it. The light was from inside the doorway, a candle. Slowly, he got up and walked towards it. He walked a path the grass seemed to make until he stood just outside the stone entrance. He looked up at the top, where the uneven towers, the symbol of Katolis, seemed to almost glow as bright as the flame.

Ezran stared at it for a moment before walking through the doorway. 

Everything flashed, like bait did when Ezran cued him to. He closed his eyes and shielded them with an arm until the flash was gone, and he was in his parents’ room. In the lodge. 

His mother would always sit alone on the bed, reading while also braiding her dark hair back. Her crown would sit on her head, and her clothes always matched the bed sheets, red as a rose. Ezran would always shout and rush forward, and his mother would laugh and pick him up, onto the bed. She would hug him and ask what he was doing, and Ezran would always jokingly say “Talking to you.” 

Then he would ask where dad was, and His mom would just hum and say “He’s not here yet.”

Not this time. 

His mother wasn’t in the bedroom. No one was.

 It was empty. 

Ezran wandered out, to the main room. But while a fire was lit, no one was there. Ezran sat on the floor in front of the fire for awhile, soaking in the warmth and playing with a toy elf. He waited for something to happen, but nothing.

Shortly after realizing, Ezran sighed and stood, then made his way outside, coming face to face with his mother. Her hair was braided back like it always was, but she wore no crown. Nor did she was a red dress. Instead it was blue with roses on it, near the edge. A more common dress.

She smiled. “What are you doing?” She asked, getting on her knees and pulling him into a hug. Ezran hugged back, grabbing onto her shoulders and sticking his face into her hair. She ran her fingers through his. 

“Talking to you.” He felt tears well in his eyes. He didn’t know why. He didn’t cry often, and never in one of these dreams. Still, he smiled, even if it felt like it would bring him closer to tears. “Where’s dad?” 

“Right here.” 

Ezran turned, eyes going wide when he found his dad standing just outside the doorway of the lodge, a hand placed on the wood. He didn’t wear his crown either, or the usual red. Instead he wore blue, like Ezran’s mom, that was a little less refined than the usual clothes his father wore.

His dad smiled sadly and got onto one knee, holding his arms out. Ezran rushed into them desperately. His father embraced him. 

Before Ezran knew it, he was crying into his dad’s shoulder, and his dad was trying to comfort him with quiet shushes and soft hands on his back. Finally, he stopped and his dad broke the hug so he could hold onto Ezran’s arms. 

“Ezran, I need you to do a favor for me,” His dad said, stroking Ezran’s arms gently. 

“Yeah?”

His dad said, very carefully “Keep Azymondias safe. Return him to his mother. End this war.” 

“Why can’t you?” Ezran asked. His dad only chuckled sadly.

“I don’t have your hope.” He paused, then hugged Ezran again and said “You will be the king next, Ezran. Bring us into a new era.”

Ezran froze, then looked up as his father as Harrow’s touch began fading. “What?” He asked, looking up at his dad with almost horror. So confused.

His dad only smiled. “I have faith in you. My son.” Ezran barely heard the last part as everything around him began fading to gold dust. Sarai offered a sad smile of her own before disappearing with the rest of their surroundings

“No, wait!” Ezran shouted as everything turned to black.

Then he woke up, back to the tree, the 2 humans and the elf.


	2. Chapter 2

The day had been a long one.

Corvus was set on setting a record time for getting Ezran home, and thus by the time they had stopped for the night, both Prince and Tracker were tired. But Corvus still took the time to get food for both of them, and Bait, and to set up a fire. They didn't have shelter, but Ezran didn't mind it. He preferred to sleep as he was anyway. 

After they ate, Corvus settled on the other side of the fire and began cleaning and sharpening the same knife he had used to skin the same animal they had just eaten, advising Ezran to sleep. Tomorrow, if things went well, they would arrive at Katolis.

Where he was to be crowned as the new king.

Because his father had died.

It wasn't very long before Ezran drifted off to the sound of the steady scrape of metal on stone, clutching Bait as if he was the last anchor to the living world. What Ezran dreamed of that night, maybe he was.

 

* * *

 

Unlike his other dreams, when he had awoken first on the castle grounds, Ezran awoke on the grass in front of the Banther Lodge. It was daytime. Everything looked... Whiter. The trees were different shades of pink, purple, and white and blossoms fell from them, onto the newborn grass below. Here, it was early spring.

Birds chirped happily between themselves and flitted to and fro, streaks of color in the air before they disappeared from sight. The river nearby trickled peacefully. Everything was peaceful.

He lifted his head when he heard a soft creek, looking towards the entrance to the lodge in which it had come from. A door was open, and inside was a bright, white light. 

Ezran got up, hesitantly stepping towards it. He barely made a single step as the door opened wider and out stepped a man dressed in red, with dark green eyes and darker skin, his hair held in golden clasps, and on his head a familiar crown.

King Harrow. 

Dad.

"Dad!"

Harrow's eyes widened as the two saw one another, then Ezran darted forward, towards his father with forming tears in his eyes. They met in the middle, Harrow falling to one knee to hug Ezran. Dad had always been amazing at hugs. Ezran sank into the touch, taking it and not wanting to let go.

His dad seemed happy to oblige. 

They were silent and still for a long time, perhaps five minutes, before, quietly, Harrow said "So you've learned the truth." It didn't take much thought to understand what Harrow meant.

Ezran nodded, frowning.

Harrow only hugged him tighter. "I'm so sorry. I hadn't meant for this to happen."

"There was nothing you could do." Ezran responded, knowing. Rayla was an amazing fighter, one hand or two, and she had said it was her first mission. The other assassins she was with were probably even better than her. The taller one they had met on the walkway definitely was. 

There was no way Harrow could've survived against all five of them, even with all the soldiers who guarded his door that night. 

"That changes nothing."

Ezran looked back at the door, then asked quietly "Where's mom?" Not usually the line he asked in his dreams, usually it was vice versa when he had dreams like these. But for once he was seeing his dad, not his mom.

He received a hum and a hand rubbing his back in response. "She'll be spending time with Callum for awhile." A small chuckle rumbled in Harrow's chest. It was oddly comforting. "She believes you've been hogging her attention for far too long."

"Sounds like something she would say." Ezran smiled. 

There was a shout from the doorway of the Banther lodge, someone calling "Harrow!" Harrow glanced back, lifting his head.

With a sad smile, he let go of Ezran, only to grab his shoulders. They looked at each other again. Ezran knew his dad would have to go, Harrow knew it too. But still, Harrow held on. 

"Ezran, the road ahead will be difficult. Being so young, people will try to take advantage of you, they will trick you where they can, and they'll do anything to gain power over you." He only became even more serious as he continued. "Don't let yourself be tricked. You have a good heart, but you're also smart. Don't let one or the other make all the decisions, balance them, okay?"

Ezran nodded.

Harrow smiled. "Good." He let go of Ezran, then reached up for the crown on his head. He removed it.

Ezran's eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to speak as Harrow looked over it, but he was too shocked to say anything. And so Harrow continued.

"You are my son, Ezran. You and Callum both. Once he returns to Katolis, he will support and protect you, but you are my only son in blood, and thus you are the one who inherits my title." 

He lowered the crown over Ezran. Ezran was frozen as the cold, heavy object was placed on his head, merely staring at the sad eyes of his father. He felt the weight of the crown, in that moment, both literally and pysically. It was hard to keep his head up.

 _"You_ are the king now, and don't let _anyone_ make you question your capabilities, or your resolve." Harrow pulled him into a hug again, and Ezran began crying as he was pulled close. This all suddenly felt so real, as if this wasn't a dream. As if this was the last time he would ever see his father again.

It probably was.

"Harrow!" Someone shouted again. 

Harrow sighed and Ezran held on tighter. "I'm not ready for this." Ezran admitted softly, burying his face into Harrow's chest. "I-I can't-"

"Shhh," Harrow said, "It's okay to be afraid of what is to come, it's okay to think you aren't prepared. But I know you can do this." He drew back, wiping a few tears from Ezran's face. "But promise me you'll at least try?"

Blue, teary eyes met green.

Then Ezran nodded.

Harrow smiled. "Thank you."

A third and final "Harrow!" Sounded from the door.

Harrow stood, ruffled Ezran's already messy hair, then with a heartbroken smile, he left.

Left Ezran alone with the weight of the crown and nothing more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't leave it alone, I had to do something more. Also, I know this chapter sucks, I wrote this with a headache but I couldn't get rid of the thought sooo... Here we are.


End file.
